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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · sharp · toast · ball · rule · root · kick · pitcher

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — in football
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. toast — bread
  12. root — the cause
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rule — government
  16. ball — a great time
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ball — a dance
  20. root — of a word
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rule — a law
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com